Molded chute or guide for machine gun cartridge belts



May 26, 1942. F. c. JOHNSON MOLDED GHUTE OR GUIDE FOR MACHINE GUN- CARTRIDGE BELTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 1, 19-40 INVENTOR F. C JOHNSON y 1942- F. c. JoHNso 2,284,488

MOLDED CHUTE OR GUIDEFOR MACHINEGUN CARTRIDGE BELTS Filed Aug. 1, 1940- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 llllll Patented May 26, 1942 MOLDED CHUTE R GUIDE FOR MACHINE GUN CARTRIDGE BELTS Francis Carl Johnson, Surbiton, England, as-

signer to The Hadley Company Limited, Surbiton, EnglamLa British company I Application August 1, 1940, Serial No. 349,153

In Great Britain December 15, 1938 i 9 Claims. (CI. 89-34) This invention relates to chutes or guides for use particularly in aircraft for guiding cartridge nested together to provide channels for the cartridge belts. The word plastic-is intended to operations.

tion, or on opposite sides.

next when nested together.

vention nested together,

cation,

and

the disintegrating type. The ribs 16 and I8 support the cartridges themselves, as shown clearly in Figure 2, and maintain the links of the belt 20 out of contact with the chute, thereby minimising friction. The width of this channel is of course slightly greater than the length of the cartridges.

Figure 3 shows a modified construction in which the flange l2 on one side projects upwardly and that on the other side projects downwardly. As

include organic materials such as cellulose deriva- 10 will be seen, such components nest together in tives, vulcanized rubber, chlorinated rubber, or the same way as those shown in Figures 1 and 2. artificial resins of various kinds which can be If desired, in order to save space, a chute built formed by pressing, molding, extruding or similar up of components such as are illustrated in Fig- Each component consists of a cenures 1 and 2 may be made with the uppermost tral portion which is more or less flat and two component differing from the rest as shown in side flanges projecting either on the same side, Figure 4, that is to say, that the flanges I2 bend so that the component is U-shaped in cross-secinwards as at 22, these flanges forming the upper In either case the walls of the uppermost channel and, being formed side flanges are deeper than the channels to be with ribs 23. .Naturally, such a construction canprovided for the passage of the belts so that the not be employed with the form of component flanges of one component overlap those of the illustrated in Figure 3.

Each component Figure 5 illustrates how components such as may be of uniform thickness throughout and are described above may .be connected together may be formed from sheet material by bending end to end by encircling straps 24. or pressing between dies while softened by heat Figure 6 illustrates a complete chute comprisor other agency or it may be molded to the ing seven channels the uppermost of whichis required cross-section. v formed like that of Figure 4.

Conveniently, the flanges are Joggled so as to It will be appreciated that cartridge chutes of provide shoulders about midway of their width the kind described are particularly useful in airto facilitate nesting together of the components. craft in which the cartridge belt may have to be Referring to the accompanying drawings, fed while the aeroplane is at any angle or, in-

Figure 1 is a perspective view'of two compodeed, upside down. The constructionisvery light nents of a multiple chute according to this inin weight and therefore very suitable for aircraft.

- The components are secured together either Figure 2 is an end elevation in cross-section, by an adhesive or by the use of heat and pres- Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a modisure according to the characteristics of the mafied construction, terial composing them.

Figure 4 is a similar view of a further modifi- The preferred material for theimproved chutes is cellulose acetate. Sheets of this ma- Figure 5 is a side elevation in cross-section, 40 terial are heated to render them plastic and pressed between dies of the required shape. The

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view on a smaller components are then secured together by applyscale showing a seven-fold chute. ing a solvent for cellulose acetate, for example Referring to Figures 1 and 2, each component acetone.

' is of channel or U-shaped cross-section, the base The components may be made straight or I!) being for the most part flat and the side curved, and with or without twist, according to flanges 12 being joggled at I4, the displacement requirements. being equal to the thickness of the material. I claim:

Towards the margins the base [0 is formed with 1. A multiple chute or guide for machine-gun two corrugations on either side forming two ribs cartridge belts built up from components con- I6 projecting upwardly and two ribs [8 projectsisting of flanged strips of plastic material, ing downwardly. The space between the base preferably cellulose acetate, so constructed that portions ll! of the two components forms a chanthey can be nested together to provide two or nel for the cartridge belt 20, this belt being of more channels each capable of receiving and guiding a single belt of cartridges.

2. A multiple chute or guide according to claim 1 wherein each component consists of a central portion which is more or less fiat and two side flanges projecting on the same side so that the component is U-shaped in cross-section.

2- 3. A multiple chute or guide according to claim 1 wherein each component consists of a central portion which is more or less flat and two side flanges projecting on opposite sides of the central portion.

'4. A multiple chute according to' claim 1 wherein the flanges are deeper than the channels to be provided between the components and a are joggled or cranked to provide shoulders about midway of their width to facilitate nesting together of the components.

5. A multiple chute according to claim 1 wherein the central portions of the components are corrugated to provide ribs extending lengthwise of the components, certain of these ribs projecting above and others projecting below the said portions.

6. A multiple chute according to claim 1, the central portions of the components being corrugated'to provide two ribs near each margin of the central portion, one of the two projecting upwardly and the other downwardly.

7. A multiple chute according to claim 1 wherein one of the components has its flanges bent inwards parallel with the central portion, for the purpose described.

8. A multiple chute according to claim 1 wherein the thickness of the components is uniform throughout their cross-section.

9. A component for a multiple chute according to claim 1 made by pressing between dies of the appropriate shape a sheet of cellulose acetate rendered plastic by heating.

FRANCIS CARL JOHNSON. 

